As a part of our ongoing collaboration and partnership with the local community and our desire to preserve pristine land for environmentally friendly use, Ohio Masonic Home completed the sale of 52 acres of land to the Clark County Park District back in August. After decades of hard work, the two entities were able to partner for the Mad River Gorge and Nature Preserve Project. This project includes a main hiking trail along an old rail bed, access to the Mad River, and natural dolomite cliffs, reaching heights up to 50 feet for rock climbing. The land contains some of the best climbing cliffs in the Midwest and has been unused for decades. The land is undevelopable by Ohio Masonic Home and will now be preserved by the Clark County Park District forever.
Residents, family members, and employees of the Springfield Masonic Community and The Ohio Masonic Home will be able to access future trails as part of the Mad River Gorge and Nature Preserve Project, which will connect to the back-side of the campus.
“It has been an honor to be a part of this project and after years of work, we are excited to partner with the Clark County Park district in the development of this land” said John White, Corporate Director of Treasury for Ohio Masonic Home. “This is the culmination of years of hard work and an is exciting partnership between Ohio Masonic Home and the Clark County Park District. It provides many benefits to Clark County and southwest Ohio, as well as our Springfield Masonic Community family” said Tom Maloney, Chief Operations and Financial Officer for Ohio Masonic Home.
“Acquisition of Ohio Masonic Home's property completes the initial development of the Mad River Gorge and Nature Preserve utilizing a Clean Ohio Conservation Fund grant. Several partners and the community worked together to preserve this natural gem. The Clark County Park District looks forward to working with Ohio Masonic Home to develop a premier nature escape in Clark County,” said Time DeVore, Vice President of the Clark County Park District Board of Park Commissioners.
This acquisition nearly doubles the size of the Mad River Gorge. Over the past year, hundreds of volunteers, working with the park district, have removed over 60 tons of garbage from the gorge which continues their efforts to return the land to its natural state. Ohio Masonic Home donated a portion of the value of the land to the district and has future plans to link walking paths from its campus to allow residents, visitors, and staff to access miles of developed trails already.
